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7th Research
Framework Programme (FP7)
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About the 7th FP
The structure of FP7 has not changed
in relation to the previous FPs. The FP7 includes the four main
programmes: Cooperation1, Ideas, People, Capacities, plus Joint
Research Centre (divided in non-nuclear and nuclear activities) and
Euratom (nuclear activities). Link to FP7 structure:
http://cordis.europa.eu/fp7/spe_programmes.htm
Funding instruments are different
from FP6. More emphasis is given on research themes than on
instruments, as well as on the dissemination of knowledge to the
general public (non-experts) and the transfer of results across all
thematic areas.
New elements introduced in FP7
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Duration of seven years instead of
four.
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Doubled budget (50 billion EUR).
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Financing basic research.
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Technology Platforms.
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Simplification of procedures (more
flexibility and autonomy).
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International cooperation (non-EU
plus third countries are now considered normal partners).
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Commission: outsourcing of
logistics/administration activities.
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External agencies for scholarships
(research mobility).
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European Research Council (external
evaluation of proposals, only in basic research).
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Risk-Sharing Finance Facility instead
of “financial collective responsibility”.
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Individual projects.
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Only one cost model (instead of past
three models).
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Increased funding of dissemination
activities.
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Special agency for SMEs.
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Instructions for successful
proposals under the 7th FP
Interested parties should not wait
for the publication of a Call to start preparing their application.
Prior preparation is necessary in order to submit a successful
proposal. The success of a proposal depends on a range of factors:
the scientific content itself, even if of high quality, is not
sufficient to guarantee acceptance of the proposal. When writing a
proposal, it is fundamental to highlight in which way(s) the
proposal falls within the EU policies and the specific aims of the
7th FP. In particular:
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Reach the objectives of the ‘Lisbon
strategy’: knowledge-based economy, competitiveness.
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Support the integration of the
European Research Area (ERA).
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Reach the 3% of GDP destined to
research.
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The third objective can be reached by
including enterprises in the proposals/projects (Technology
Platforms).
Proposals must reflect the above
three dimensions in an evident way, in order to be successful. The
elements of competitiveness and sustainable development are also
essential.
Note: Agriculture-related
project proposals should not be restricted only to the thematic
priority ‘Food, Agriculture and Biotechnology’. Funding
opportunities should be sought in other priorities too (e.g. under
‘Information and communication technologies’).
Technology Platforms (TP)
Technology Platforms are neither
legal entities nor projects themselves. Their essential role is
lobbying: the aim is to insert in the FP the themes of interest to
the TP stakeholders.
TPs are open to new members as
working groups. The administrative part of TPs has already been
decided upon and cannot be changed. TPs in the 7th FP are involved
in the ‘Cooperation’ programme themes, in the Joint Technical
Initiatives and in ERA-NET. TPs could be transformed in the context
of international organizations if considered appropriate.
National Contact Points
The roles of NCPs are to:
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provide information on the ways to
participate in the FP;
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provide assistance in the submission
of project proposals (regarding financial aspects, geographical
distribution issues, etc.);
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act as a contact with the Commission.
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Transnational technology transfer
The Innovation Relay Centres support
the exploitation of research results and the transnational
technology transfer. Their role is to facilitate contact between
research as ‘developers’ and enterprises as ‘recipients’, so that
the latter exploit the results of the former. In particular, IRCs
identify requests and offers of research at local level and act as
intermediates for technological cooperation. IRCs are composed of
research centres, technological/scientific parks, chambers of
commerce, etc.
1 (‘Food, Agriculture and Biotechnology’ theme: 1935
million EUR budget)
Activities inside Theme 2:
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Sustainable production and management of biological
resources from land, forest, and aquatic environments.
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“Fork to farm”: Food, health and well
being.
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Life sciences and biotechnology for
sustainable non-food products and processes.
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This page has been visited
times since 30-June-2007
Page last up-dated:
26/02/2008
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